OnePlus 12 Global Launch: Specs, Features, Price and More.After months of anticipation, OnePlus has finally launched their latest flagship phone globally – the OnePlus 12. As expected, the new phone packs substantial upgrades over its predecessor, the OnePlus 11, in all departments.
In this blog post, we will take an in-depth look at the key specs, top features, expected pricing, launch offers and more details surrounding the highly-awaited OnePlus 12 smartphone.
OnePlus 12 Launch Date and Availability
The OnePlus 12 was unveiled globally on January 23, 2024 via a virtual launch event streamed online. This marks almost exactly one year since the OnePlus 11 launch.
Pre-booking for the OnePlus 12 has kicked off in select regions like North America, Europe, China and India just after launch. The actual sale dates are expected to vary slightly in different markets.
In India, the OnePlus 12 will be available for pre-order starting January 26th, 2024 on Amazon.in and OnePlus.in. The sale date is set for February 3rd.
As for the US and other western markets, pre-orders should start shipping by the first week of February. The phone will also be available from various carrier stores and retail partners soon.
OnePlus 12 Price
First, let’s get the pricing details out of the way. The OnePlus 12 launch event revealed these prices for the different models:
- OnePlus 12 8GB + 128GB: $899 / £799 / ₹54,999
- OnePlus 12 12GB + 256GB: $999 / £899 / ₹59,999
- OnePlus 12 16GB + 512GB: $1,099 / £999 / ₹64,999
Compared to last year’s pricing, this represents an increase of around 5%. All variants also have higher RAM and storage than before.
As usual, expect even lower prices in China and other Asian markets. The top-end 16GB+512GB option may not be offered everywhere initially.
OnePlus 12 Specifications
Here is a quick look at the key OnePlus 12 specifications at a glance:
- Dimensions: 163.1 x 74.1 x 8.5mm, 205g
- Display: 6.7″ QHD+ LTPO3 AMOLED, 120Hz adaptive
- Rear Cameras: 50MP (Main) + 48MP (Ultrawide) + 32MP (Telephoto)
- Front Camera: 16MP
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for OnePlus
- RAM/Storage: 8GB/12GB RAM, 128GB/256GB/512GB storage
- Battery: 5000mAh, 100W fast charging
- OS: OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13
- Connectivity: 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
As expected, the OnePlus 12 features impressive upgrades across all areas including visual design, display, cameras, charging speeds and internal hardware. Let’s analyze some of the key improvements below.
Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Processor
The processing power has gotten a major bump thanks to the latest Qualcomm chipset. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is fabricated on an efficient 4nm process and uses an advanced CPU + GPU combination for top-level performance.
Compared to the 8 Gen 1 chip in the OnePlus 11, expect a 10% faster CPU and up to 41% improved GPU rendering speeds. For additional gains, OnePlus has optimized the chip specifically for their phones under the “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for OnePlus” branding. This should deliver extra efficiency and sustained peak performance when gaming or using camera apps.
No matter how demanding the app or game, the OnePlus 12 is built to offer ultra smooth usage without any lags or heating issues over long-term usage.
Stunning QHD+ 120Hz Fluid AMOLED Display
The gorgeous 6.7 inch AMOLED panel on the OnePlus 12 gets several major upgrades to deliver their best screen experience yet. Let’s talk about them in more detail:
1. Higher Resolution
You now get crisp QHD+ resolution (3216 x 1440p pixels) for all OnePlus 12 variations. This allows extremely sharp imagery and text whether you’re streaming movies, viewing photos or reading ebooks.
2. Higher Brightness
With a peak brightness of 1300 nits, the OnePlus 12 improves screen legibility considerably when using under bright sunlight. The high brightness mode also helps make HDR content stand out.
3. LTPO 3.0 Technology
LTPO or Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide allows for a more power efficient yet responsive screen. The newer LTPO 3.0 standard in the OnePlus 12 boosts efficiency even further leading to better battery endurance.
4. Fluid 120Hz Refresh Rate
Scrolling and animations are super smooth thanks to the 120Hz screen refresh rate. OnePlus have further fine-tuned the variable rate from 1Hz to 120Hz based on the content via LTPO 3.0. This ensures lower battery usage when idling or viewing static content.
With all these display technology innovations combined, the OnePlus 12 clearly delivers their finest, most advanced visual experience yet for a flagship phone.
OnePlus 12 Camera Upgrades
The OnePlus 12 brings substantial improvements to the camera system – featuring upgraded sensors, better lenses as well as improved photo/video algorithms.
New 50MP Main Camera
The primary rear camera utilises an all-new large 1-inch type 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor with OIS and a fast f/1.8 aperture lens. This enables capturing outstanding levels of detail along with good low light photos. The sensor-lens combination has been tuned specifically for natural yet pleasing colours and contrast in images.
Portrait shots showcase excellent edge detection and background blur effects thanks to the new sensor’s capabilities. The larger pixel size also means individual pixels can absorb more light leading to reduction in noise for low light shots.
Improved 48MP Ultrawide Camera
Even the ultrawide camera has received an improved IMX581 sensor for reduced noise and distortion around the edges. Together with the new image processing pipeline, you can expect true-to-life colours, better HDR and clarity across the frame when capturing wide angle landscape photos or architecture.
3.3x Zoom Telephoto Lens
The OnePlus 12 retains the same 32MP telephoto camera as seen on the OnePlus 11 Pro. This allows for up to 3.3x optical zoom when framing shots. 10x hybrid zoom is also supported via fusion of optical and digital zoom. This setup improves photography flexibility to quickly frame close up portraits or distant objects without losing quality.
New Hasselblad Camera Modes
OnePlus have further built upon their Hasselblad camera partnership for the OnePlus 12. You now get Hasselblad Natural Colour 2.0 for fine-tuned colour calibration out of the box. Portrait mode also mimicks Kodak Portra film for iconic skin tones in portraits.
Pro mode has added ISO, shutter speed, focus and white balance fine tuning for professional grade manual control. There’s also RAW shooting in 12-bit colour depth for maximum post processing flexibility.
Upgraded Nightscape Mode & Video Capabilities
Computational photography gets a major upgrade on the OnePlus 12 as well. This includes improvements to Nightscape mode, better HDR processing and new modes like Starscape hyperlapse.
Videography sees substantial upgrades too like native 4K 60fps across all rear cameras, better OIS and updated Hasselblad film styles. AI Highlight video can now retain faces/objects with optimal lighting while shooting against strong backlight.
Overall, the camera proposition is substantially more flexible and powerful on the OnePlus 12. No matter which lens you use, or lighting scenario, it can deliver great looking, social media ready photos and videos.
Fast Charging & Long Battery Life
The OnePlus 12 offers rapid charging that’s even faster than before. You now get a crazy 100W SUPERVOOC mode that can charge the large 5000mAh battery from 1-100% in under 25 minutes!
This makes a world of difference when you’re in a hurry. Even a quick 5 minute charge can deliver up to 20 hours of standby battery life. The optimized hardware and OxygenOS software also ensures exceptional battery endurance under daily mixed usage.
OnePlus have implemented several enhancements to minimize aging and retain capacity too. These include voltage regulation, thermal management and machine learning based charging algorithms.
OxygenOS 13 Software Features
On the software side, the OnePlus 12 launches with the latest OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13. Core OxygenOS qualities like speed, customization and a clean UI are retained. There are also many additional features on top specific to OnePlus phones.
Here are some of the most interesting software aspects coming to the OnePlus 12:
Efficient OnePlus Shelf
The Shelf UI gets a visual overhaul and can now track online orders, events, quick memos and more. Sports mode offers live match updates, schedules and stats for cricket, football and more.
Premium Unibody Design
The OnePlus 12 introduces a new unibody frame crafted from aerospace grade aluminum alloy. Not only does this offer durability able to withstand bumps or drops, but also a more unified and seamless design with curved edges.
You’ll notice how the metal frame merges smoothly into both the front and rear glass. TheAlert Slider makes a return on the right edge as well for quick notification toggles without even turning the screen on. Available colours at launch are Forest Emerald and Desert Gold. Both have uniquely patterned matte glass rear panels to minimize fingerprints.
Overall, the OnePlus 12 clearly sets a new benchmark for finely crafted industrial design in an Android flagship phone.
Upgraded In-display Fingerprint Sensor
The in-display fingerprint sensor on the OnePlus 12 has gotten considerably larger along with faster scanning. Unlocking your phone is near instantaneous thanks to advanced machine learning algorithms. New animations after scanning also help elevate the experience.
Fingerprint authentication works reliably in all conditions even with wet or sweaty fingers. You can store multiple fingerprints too for added convenience. Face unlock via the selfie camera is available as well for an alternate biometric option.
HyperBoost Gaming Engine 4.0
Mobile gamers will love the comprehensive set of hardware and software gaming enhancements available on the OnePlus 12. These include:
1. Tactile Gaming Engine
Provides precise haptic feedback via advanced linear vibration motors based on in-game events. Getting shot in FPS games or collisions in racing titles feels much more immersive.
2. Multi-Graphics Engine
Dynamically adjusts the GPU/CPU resources for optimal frame rates in games based on thermals and power budget via AI. This prevents throttling and ensures lag free gaming.
3. Anti-Glare Glass
The dual-layer glass on the OnePlus 12 display has an anti-reflective finish for minimized glare. Maintaining visibility in bright outdoors is no longer a concern even at max brightness levels.
4. Gaming Mode Enhancements
OxygenOS 13 adds additional utilities via gaming mode like blocking notifications, app locking, game chat and live stream optimization. Budget the resources to maximize fps stability only for your game.
With the perfect synergy of cutting-edge hardware and smart software-level optimizations, the OnePlus 12 promises to offer a tier-above gaming experience compared to Android flagships.
Leading Connectivity Standards
You get the latest 5G, WiFi and Bluetooth technologies supported for fast connectivity across networks and devices. Specifically, the OnePlus 12 includes:
1. 5G & WiFi 6E
With 7 antenna bands compared to 4 earlier, the OnePlus 12 enables faster 5G speeds, especially in crowded areas. It also supports new 6 GHz band WiFi 6E routers for reduced congestion and lag when online gaming or video streaming over WiFi.
2. Bluetooth 5.3
Features like LE Audio and multi-stream audio allow you to pair two Bluetooth audio devices simultaneously. Signal robustness is better too when connecting wireless headphones or speakers from longer distances.
3. Improved NFC
NFC transfers get a notable speed boost allowing quick sharing of large photos/videos when tapping other compatible OnePlus/Android phones. Larger NFC antennas also ensure reliability when making contactless payments using Google Pay.
Louder Stereo Speakers
Audio has received noticeable improvements on the OnePlus 12 as well in multiple aspects. The onboard stereo speakers are not only louder but also wider. This creates better channel separation and a stereo soundstage effect not common on phones.
Of course headphone audio sees substantial gains too thanks to the upgraded Snapdragon sound platform including native support for spatial audio. No matter what headphones you use, expect a more immersive listening experience.
OxygenOS 13 New Features
Let’s highlight some of the most interesting software enhancements coming to OxygenOS 13:
1. Aquamorphic Design
Revamped UI across the OS inspired by water including new font, icons, animations and a more fluid interface. Menus and settings better respond to touch inputs with physics based visual effects.
2. Quantum Animation Engine 4.0
Advanced motion estimations power all animations and transitions. Everything from scrolling and swiping across the interface to fingerprint unlock shows substantial improvements.
3. Dynamic Computing Engine
OxygenOS has machine learning models to study your app usage patterns. This allows better resource allocation to frequently used apps in advance leading to speed gains.
4. Audio Setup Wizard
Allows customizing audio output easily based on category – music, movies or podcasts. Tweaks EQ, left/right balance and more. These settings can be associated with different headphones too.
5. Enhanced Dark Mode
Upgraded color inversion algorithms make dark mode usable in more apps while retaining legibility. Custom scheduling is available too like automatic sunset to sunrise dark mode.
6. Improved gestures
Additional navigation gestures added for quicker access. Swipe down diagonally from top corner to enable/disable dark mode. Double tap rear to summon camera or twisting gesture to start voice assistant.
7. Smarter AI System
On-device machine learning powers many OxygenOS 13 features. For example, grammar check in keyboard, face blur in images if needed and intelligent background noise cancellation during calls via AI.
These give just a taste of the thoughtful new additions made across the board to refine your everyday user experience.
OnePlus 12 Launch Offers
Plenty of tempting pre-booking offers and bundles are available both from OnePlus and other retail partners for customers in India. Here is a brief overview of the top deals for prospective OnePlus 12 buyers.
1. Rs 5000 Instant Discount
Use select bank card EMI transactions on Amazon.in, OnePlus.in or offline partner stores to get flat Rs 5000 off. Applicable on all OnePlus 12 variants.
2. Additional Exchange Bonus Up To Rs 3000
Exchanging your older smartphone will fetch you the regular quoted value + up to Rs 3000 on top depending on model. Making for an extremely generous upgrade program.
3. 12 Month YouTube Premium or Amazon Prime Membership
Pre-booking the OnePlus 12 online entitles you to a full 1 year subscription to YouTube Premium for ad-free videos. Alternatively you can pick 1 year of Amazon Prime too for free fast delivery and entertainment benefits.
4. Bumper Jackpot Prize
Pre-order customers also stand to win the grand bumper prize via lucky draw of a brand new OnePlus 12 16GB+512GB model totally free after launch!
5. Red Cable Care Perks
Add OnePlus’s premium Red Cable Care plan for just Rs 2500 instead of Rs 5000 to avail additional discounts on official accessories and apparel worth up to Rs 5000. A value-loaded membership indeed.
OnePlus have gone all out to offer exceptional value to early adopters this time around. Considering the major upgrades on offer already, these lucrative complimentary deals make the OnePlus 12 near irresistible!
Closing Thoughts
The OnePlus 12 shapes up to be a mighty impressive overall package with the latest hardware innovations from Qualcomm, Hasselblad along with much awaited upgrades to fast charging, display and camera capabilities.
OxygenOS 13 brings meaningful refinements too elevating your daily productivity and entertainment needs. Despite higher base pricing over the predecessors, you get excellent value thanks to top-shelf specs that rival or surpass the best from Samsung, Google and Apple.
We hope this detailed coverage has given you a clearer picture of why the OnePlus 12 deserves consideration as your next premium flagship phone purchase in 2024. Do share your opinions on the new features most interesting to you in the comments below!
